


Running Back to You

by thelaziesthufflepuff



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Gen, M/M, also features plant babies, and pet babies, slowburn friends to lovers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-05
Updated: 2018-09-05
Packaged: 2019-07-07 08:10:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,931
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15904326
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thelaziesthufflepuff/pseuds/thelaziesthufflepuff
Summary: “No wonder he died.” Wonwoo says. “I wouldn’t want to live if you told me you were going to use my organs for seasoning either.”“You sure it wasn’t the SasuNaru fanfic you read to him?” Soonyoung retorts, scowling. “I would die too if I had to listen to Sasuke rimming Naruto. You’re ruining my childhood.”AKA Soonyoung and Wonwoo live together. And pine for each other.





	Running Back to You

**Author's Note:**

  * For [minshuas](https://archiveofourown.org/users/minshuas/gifts).



> To my recipient, IM SO SORRY THIS WAS SO LATE. I hope this is something you enjoy. *rubs hands anxiously*

“I’m home.” Wonwoo says, as he unlocks the door to his shared apartment. He is greeted by the sight of dust motes floating silently in the air, visible only because of the evening light streaming into their living room. He sighs. Soonyoung forgot to dust again. He removes his shoes and leaves them next to a pile of empty cardboard boxes they’ve been meaning to throw away but have never gotten around to doing so, and takes off his socks to put in their shared laundry bin, which is already overflowing with unwashed clothes. Coming home to an empty apartment surprises him no longer, for Soonyoung spends most of his waking hours at the dance studio badgering his boss into letting him teach extra classes or just practicing in one of their empty practice rooms. It also means that Wonwoo has even less motivation to reach for the feather duster or do laundry or sort out the trash, because their apartment is shared so it clearly means that Soonyoung should be present, helping Wonwoo clean. Wonwoo sighs again as he looks in the fridge; only leftover kimchi and a packet of tofu remains. It’s time to get takeout for dinner.

 

7.05pm

[Are you coming back for dinner?]

 

7.07pm

[YEA! Buy me fried chicken!]

 

 7.08pm

[Too bad, I’m getting jjajangmyun.]

 

7.09pm

[WONWOO COME ON BUY ME FRIED CHICKEN >.<]

 

7.10pm

[TOO LATE. NO FRIED CHICKEN FOR YOU =D]

 

“Yah Jeon Wonwoo!” Soonyoung calls back almost immediately. Wonwoo loves how predictable he gets sometimes. “I want Kyochon fried chicken.”

 

“And I want to win a billion won in this week’s lottery.” Wonwoo retorts. “So I guess we both aren’t getting what we want.”

 

“Wonwoo~~~don’t be like that!” Wonwoo can picture the way Soonyoung’s eyes scrunch as he whines into the phone. Luckily, Wonwoo doesn’t have to see it in person, so he’s not going to cave in and buy unhealthy fried chicken that’s going to cause them to develop sore throats and leave them grouchy, irritable and in unnecessary unwanted pain.

 

“This is for your own good.” Wonwoo says, wondering when he started channeling his mother. “You’ll get sick and I’ll have to take care of you. Then I’ll fall sick too.”  

 

“You don’t need to take care of me.” Soonyoung grumbles from the other end of the line. “I can take care of myself.”

 

“...Right.” Wonwoo says disbelievingly. “Didn’t you eat a pack of mints you randomly found lying around the studio when you had a sore throat? Didn’t you whine so much the last time you got the flu that I had to get Mingyu and Jun to come over to make chicken soup for you?”

 

“In that case, Mingyu was the one looking after me! And those mints weren’t expired.” Soonyoung argues with great dignity. “I wasn’t going to waste them.”

 

“You didn’t even know whose mints you ate! And I’m the one who called Mingyu and Jun. So I looked after you.” Wonwoo argues back, refusing to concede. Even if he hadn’t made chicken soup for Soonyoung, he still went to the supermarket to buy ingredients needed for the soup, he still went to the nearby pharmacy to buy Soonyoung decongestant medication and painkillers and he sat with Soonyoung, carefully sponging his forehead as Soonyoung sweated through a particularly bad fever. Wonwoo had never felt that inadequate before; not when he applied for his first job despite being woefully under-qualified, not during his final exams where he realised he didn’t remember half the material, and especially not during Valentine’s, when he fought so hard to spit out half-formed words that threatened to coagulate on his tongue, only for them to turn into ashes as he saw Soonyoung stare, starry-eyed, at Taemin-sunbae who merely nodded politely, but Soonyoung reacted like Taemin-sunbae had kissed him on the cheek, lighting up like a star in the night sky.

 

“Anyway, I’m paying for it.” Wonwoo says, with the surety of a gambler with a trump card. Nothing speaks louder than having a steady (albeit low) income. “And I want jjajangmyun.”

 

“Arghh fine! You asshole I’ll eat the jjajangmyun. But you’d better buy me a kimbap too.”  Soonyoung huffs; Wonwoo can imagine the irritable pout he has on. It makes him want to bite the soft skin of his cheeks. Which is not weird at all, no matter what anyone says. He’s just a hungry stressed young adult trying to survive in a world too big for him. Biting his best friend’s cheeks probably counts as stress relief. Soonyoung has plump cheeks that remind him of stress balls.    

 

“Anything you want.” Wonwoo says, glad that Soonyoung can’t see the look on his face, can’t hear the sincerity in his voice. If he realises the hold he has on Wonwoo, Wonwoo may find himself buying spicy chicken for weeks in a row and then they’ll both get malnutrition from eating an unbalanced diet and then they’ll die an ignoble death before Wonwoo even has the chance to visit Mt Fuji in winter. That’s not how Wonwoo plans to leave this earth at all. If he had a choice, he’d rather get choked by Soonyoung’s thighs around his neck. At least he’ll get a good view before he says goodbye to the world.

 

“Thanks Wonwoo!” Soonyoung is all cheery smiles on the other end of the line now that he can stuff his face with kimbap, oblivious to Wonwoo’s internal musings. “You’re the best. I love you.”   

 

“Yeah right.” Wonwoo replies, determined to keep his voice casually even despite the suddenly rapid beating of his heart. “I love you too.”

-

 

Soonyoung arrives home soon after, with a box carefully cradled in his arms. Wonwoo looks at it with suspicion.

 

“If you bring home another stray I’m kicking you out.” Wonwoo says. “Remember what happened to the stray cat you brought in?” The last time Soonyoung came home with a similar box, he brought home a cat that stole Wonwoo’s heart simply by existing, which made giving her up to Jun especially difficult. But it was for the best, their tiny apartment barely had enough space for the both of them, and they could barely look after themselves, let alone another living creature.

 

“It’s not a cat.” Soonyoung

 

“Did you bring home a puppy?” Wonwoo eyes the quiet bundle with more trepidation. “We can’t afford to look after it.”  

 

“It’s not an animal!” Soonyoung replies and puts the box down on the table. Or tries to anyway, their table is littered with books Wonwoo forgot to put away after reading, five empty cups that used to contain tea and hot chocolate, and plastic bags from the last time they went grocery shopping. Soonyoung claimed that they may need to use the plastic bags someday, and Wonwoo agreed, which is why those plastic bags were still on their dining table instead of the shared recycling bin on the first floor of their apartment complex. “It’s still cute though!” Wonwoo watches as Soonyoung reveals a tiny potted plant. “Meet Bobo!”

 

“Bobo?” Wonwoo asks, incredulous.

 

“If you’ve got a better name we can change it.” Soonyoung says, gesturing to the tiny potted plant. “But I think Bobo is the best name for him! Right Bobo?”

 

Wonwoo stares at Soonyoung, and then at the plant, and then back at Soonyoung who’s cheerfully introducing their plant to their messy house. It doesn’t look like a Bobo, but then Wonwoo has no better names, so Bobo it is.  

  

“Where are we going to put him?” Wonwoo asks. He doesn’t know much about plant care, but he does know that they need enough sunlight to grow.

 

“Next to the window, duh.” Soonyoung replies as though Wonwoo was an idiot for asking. “He needs the sun.”

 

“And how often do we need to water it?” Wonwoo asks again, rolling his eyes at Soonyoung’s response. He won’t put it past Soonyoung to buy a plant on impulse just because the girl at the flower shop called him handsome, and bring it back without getting the necessary information about how to look after it.

 

“Not often! Bobo is an orange thyme,” Soonyoung answers proudly, even as his tongue awkwardly curls around unfamiliar string of syllabus. Wonwoo makes a mental note to research on the plant, even as Soonyoung claims that Bobo can improve Wonwoo’s eyesight and make their home cooking taste better just by existing. The plant may be useful, but if Wonwoo and Soonyoung kill it within a week the only thing they’ll be tasting with their food is another proof of their failures as responsible adults.

 

“Here’s to Bobo’s survival then.” Wonwoo replies dryly.

 

“Here’s to our food tasting great from now on.” Soonyoung lifts one of their dirty cups in a mockery of a toast. “To Bobo!”

 

-

 

Bobo dies within two months, despite their best efforts. Soonyoung morosely pokes at one of Bobo’s leaves, barely clinging onto the branch. It falls off almost too easily, joining the rest of its fallen comrades. Wonwoo sighs as he looks at their tiny windowsill littered with dead leaves in various stages of dryness and decay, then at what’s left of poor Bobo, a rotting stem with rotting leaves, a death knell for any plant.       

 

“We tried.” Wonwoo says, shrugging with great equanimity. “Let’s never have plants again.”

 

Soonyoung huffs, irritated. “Bobo was supposed to live for years.”

 

“If he had experienced caretakers.” Wonwoo counters. “Not two idiots who didn’t realise he was rotting from within until it was too late for us to save him.” Wonwoo didn’t even know plants could die this easily. It wasn’t as though they were neglectful plant owners - they watered Bobo regularly and made sure he got enough sun, and sometimes Wonwoo even read him passages from his favourite books to encourage his growth. It was nice, having a non-judgmental audience for once when he read out passages from his favourite Naruto fanfic.  

 

“I even talked to him often.” Soonyoung continues, as though he hasn’t heard Wonwoo. “I told him what a great plant he was and how he was growing up so well and how his leaves were going to taste great in our ramen.”

 

“No wonder he died.” Wonwoo says. “I wouldn’t want to live if you told me you were going to use my organs for seasoning either.”

 

“You sure it wasn’t the SasuNaru fanfic you read to him?” Soonyoung retorts, scowling. “I would die too if I had to listen to Sasuke rimming Naruto. You’re ruining my childhood.”

 

“I’m improving it!” Wonwoo says, defensive. “That story was a heartbreaking tale of grief and love that expounded on canon material and I’m sure Bobo appreciated that, _unlike you_.”

  

“If we’re talking about Naruto’s love interests Gaara would be a way better choice!” Soonyoung argues. “No one wants an angsty partner who runs off on a revenge scheme and tries to kill everything you love!” He then lets out what Wonwoo thinks is supposed to be an anguished yell, but it just sounds like he’s trying to mimic a cat trying to hack up a furball. He shouldn’t find it endearing, but Soonyoung’s reactions were always highly entertaining, admittedly at Soonyoung’s own expense.

 

“Let’s get another one.” Soonyoung says after he has calmed down. Wonwoo helps sweep the last of Bobo’s dead leaves into the rubbish chute. “I’m sure Bobo’s death was an accident.”

 

-

 

Months later, they are still plant-less. Soonyoung seems to have forgotten about his sudden need for plants in the house and Wonwoo is too busy himself to remind him. Instead, Wonwoo has taken to helping Soonyoung film his dance performances with his studio every Saturday night in Hongdae just because he could, because Soonyoung did ask him so nicely so he agreed, from the goodness of his heart as Soonyoung’s self-proclaimed best friend, to help him film all his dance performances if Soonyoung agreed to take out the trash every Sunday. Soonyoung had given him the middle finger but agreed.

 

So here Wonwoo was, bundled up in his coat and scarf as he stood with his phone in hand, fingers cold on the streets of Hongdae, filming what must be Soonyoung’s 50th hip roll and willing himself not to zoom into his crotch as teenagers around him shriek. He’s a _professional_ , he internally chants to calm himself down as Soonyoung shoots his camera lens another sultry look and begins a series unholy body-rolls. He’s not going to upload a perverted fancam of his best friend even if said best friend is doing his best to drown everyone in his sex appeal. He can’t believe this was what Soonyoung has been practicing all these nights when he could have been rewatching Haikyuu with Wonwoo.

 

Speaking of which, no wonder Soonyoung keeps asking him to speak louder. The screams from the crowd have probably ruined his hearing. The screaming would have deafened Wonwoo too, but he’s pretty sure he couldn’t hear anything over the sound of blood rushing to his ears as Soonyoung threw his head back, revealing the soft skin of his neck, highlighting the sweat glinting off the street lamps and bright lights from the surrounding shops.  

 

 _Focus Wonwoo_ , he reminded himself even as something stirred low in his gut. He was here to fulfil his duty as Soonyoung’s best friend, not to lust over him as Soonyoung was putting all of himself in his performances.

 

Soonyoung grinds on the pavement. Wonwoo fumbles and nearly drops the phone. He hurriedly focuses on Soonyoung grinding on the floor. Wouldn’t do to miss such quality footage that would get him more fans. Soonyoung would be insufferable if he looked through the shaky footage and found some part of the choreography missing, claiming that Wonwoo didn’t do a good job so he definitely wasn’t going to take out the trash like he promised because Wonwoo didn’t fulfil his part of the bargain.

     

Soonyoung and his fellow dancers finish their routine and are basking in their applause; Soonyoung waves to his adoring fans. Wonwoo makes sure to catch the way Soonyoung smiles, eyes curving into crescents that accentuated his plump cheeks, before stopping the recording. There are bound to be people who get attracted to Soonyoung’s smile. Maybe they’ll comment on how impossible that someone so cute was drowning in sex appeal a minute ago. He’ll get attention, Wonwoo is sure of it.

 

He sees some girls approach Soonyoung, asking for selfies for which Soonyoung eagerly obliges. Several boys also eagerly surround Soonyoung, praising his dancing. One of them even slings a friendly arm around Soonyoung’s shoulders and ruffles his hair, messing it up so that it looks like a poor man’s imitation of Sasuke’s duck butt hairstyle. It looks terrible on Soonyoung; it was lucky Wonwoo cut the video in advance. Soonyoung laughs, loud and clear and Wonwoo’s stomach churns uncomfortably, he must have swallowed too much cold air while filming Soonyoung with his mouth open. Thanks for nothing Soonyoung. If he gets a stomach ache from inhaling too much cold air he’s going to whine and make sure Soonyoung buys him medicated oil and helps him rub his stomach. He deserves that at least.

 

-

 

There’s very little that can ruin the excitement, the delight, the accomplishment Soonyoung feels when he has just finished performing. The roar of the audience, the cheers he receives, the satisfaction he feels reflected in the eyes of his teammates makes the long practice hours, the sore muscles, the snide eyes of his relatives asking when is he going to _get a real job_ so worth it.

 

The fans he gets are a bonus. With every performance he sees the crowd get bigger, see several of his regulars introduce their friends and family to his dance studio, to him - chanting his stage name Hoshi, giving him small gifts like new towels and water bottles, sometimes even salonpas patches. He appreciates them more than he can say; Wonwoo probably has the right words to say, the correct expression of words to properly express that feeling of humble awe and fervent gratitude.

 

All in all, there is very little that can ruin his good mood after a performance. Somehow, seeing a girl shyly approaching Wonwoo and passing him a slip of paper with her number on it is one of them. Wonwoo, that bastard, doesn’t even look shy or thankful, pleased or surprised, emotions Soonyoung definitely would have felt if girls were hitting on him. But then again, girls never noticed him when Wonwoo was beside him.

 

And Wonwoo was _always_ beside him, either looming behind him like a bookish guardian angel or absentmindedly grabbing any part of Soonyoung’s body as though Soonyoung was a security blanket he hadn’t outgrown. It didn’t matter that he spent the better part of half an hour putting his heart and soul into showing a good performance, sometimes, reality hits him that Wonwoo can do absolutely nothing but stand behind a camera to film him and still attract the attention Soonyoung desires without lifting a finger. It’s infuriating, so maddening, and the worst thing is how Soonyoung can’t even fault them for that, because he himself wasn’t immune to Wonwoo’s good looks.

 

“Is it finally over? I can’t feel my fingers - what’s wrong?” Wonwoo asks, wry expression turning concerned as he gets closer to Soonyoung. “Did you hurt yourself?”

 

“I’m fine.” Soonyoung replies brusquely, pretending to dust off his jeans. He sees a brief shadow of confused hurt flit across Wonwoo’s face and not for the first time, wishes he was a better person, a better friend. Someone who didn’t get jealous of his friend’s natural good looks. It would have been a lot easier to hate Wonwoo was an arrogant dick who only had his looks, but if he were, Soonyoung would have never bothered to keep in touch, childhood friend or not. “I’m great.”   

 

“Yes you are.” Wonwoo says softly. Soonyoung can still hear him loud and clear, even through the noise of the crowd. “You did well, Soonyoung-ah.” Wonwoo then does something surprising, he ruffles Soonyoung’s hair. Soonyoung feels the back of his ears heat up - what the fuck. It’s just Wonwoo. It’s stupid, he reminds himself. It’s just Wonwoo trying to show affection after seeing how other people show affection. It’s a friendly hair ruffle, the same one Seungcheol gave him after he finished watching his performance.   

 

 _Maybe he was jealous_ , a tiny voice inside his head murmurs, sounding remarkably like Jun who always spouted rubbish whenever he saw Wonwoo visit Soonyoung at the studio to help deliver something Soonyoung forgot. _Maybe he saw what Seungcheol-hyung was doing and was overcome with jealousy to do the same._ Soonyoung kindly tells that voice to shut up because it had no idea what it was talking about. There was no way Wonwoo would be jealous enough of Soonyoung. Wonwoo, who was so blessed by the stars above with intelligence, good looks, a deep voice _and_ a good figure. Not that Soonyoung had been deliberately looking - Wonwoo’s back was just there and had his shoulders always been that wide? But then Wonwoo turned around and started nagging at him to clean up his bedroom in that infernally deep voice of his despite not cleaning his own room and Soonyoung just had to argue against the unfairness and they ended up tired and hungry and buying takeout for the third weekend in a row. Definitely not a formula for romance, no matter what Jun claims.

 

He stops thinking about Wonwoo. There’s no point in trying to figure out Wonwoo’s thoughts; if it’s important to Soonyoung, Wonwoo will tell him himself.

 

“Looks like girls are still attracted to your face.” Soonyoung comments, trying not to sound bitter. He should have been used to it. He had an entire lifetime to get used to it, but it’s hard to form words around the lingering bitterness, tasting like the inside of an orange peel Wonwoo dared him to lick years ago, back when they were still snot-nosed brats whose biggest worry was whether the ahjumma manning the snack cart would give them extra cheese with their ddeokbokki. “Are you going to call her?”

 

Wonwoo shrugs and looks decidedly unbothered. “Why would I? I don’t know her. She doesn’t know me.”

 

Soonyoung sighs. “That’s the point! She wants to know you!” _Because you’re handsome,_ he doesn’t say, but he’s sure Wonwoo hears it anyway.

 

Wonwoo’s reply is interrupted by the soft sound of someone clearing their throat. “Hi?” Both of them turn around to see a girl approach Soonyoung. “Your dancing is really cool! And you’re really handsome too!” She smiles nervously and hands Soonyoung something in a paper bag. “This is for you.”   

 

Soonyoung beams, delighted and eagerly looks into the paper bag. Maybe she got him a new cap. Or a new water bottle. Instead, he’s surprised at the splash of vibrant green that greets him.

 

“I know it’s a strange gift, but I remembered Jun-sshi’s instagram story where he showed his potted plants and mentioned that yours died.” The girl starts wringing her hands, “he said you were sad about it so I got you a new one! You don’t have to keep it if you don’t want it!” She hastily adds, waving her hands. “I just thought... it would be nice. If you got a new plant.” Before Soonyoung can even formulate a reply, she bows and runs off.   

 

“That’s nice of her.” Wonwoo says, with an unreadable look on his face. “To remember something that happened months ago.”

 

“Yeah it is.” Soonyoung smiles as he looks at the tiny leaves, a cheerful green despite their small size. “I think I’m in love.”  

 

-

 

The new plant (Genji, named by Soonyoung after one of Wonwoo’s most disliked Overwatch characters) takes Bobo’s old spot by the windowsill, and Wonwoo feels irrationally annoyed over it. He knows, logically, that plants require sunlight so the best spot is still Bobo’s old spot, but that doesn’t help the bubbling irritation he feels whenever he sees Genji sitting at where Bobo used to sit. Bobo never used to be so cheerfully green, attracting Wonwoo’s eyes the moment he turned on the lights after a long day at work. Bobo was also never this useless; Genji’s leaves can’t be used as seasoning and he has no redeeming properties whatsoever, but Soonyoung never stops fawning over Genji. He makes sure to greet him before he leaves for the studio and makes sure he keeps to Genji’s watering schedule (a watering schedule, something that he certainly didn’t bother to make for Bobo, a plant he claimed to love and so she died an ignoble death that certainly could have been prevented if Soonyoung researched beforehand).

 

“You’ve never bothered taking so much care of Bobo back when she was alive.” Wonwoo can’t help but snipe whenever he hears Soonyoung croon Lucifer for the fifth time to Genji. “I guess Genji is your favourite child.”

 

Soonyoung doesn’t even bother to look at Wonwoo as he flips him the finger. Wonwoo scowls and works himself into a sulk on their lumpy couch, making sure to look as disgruntled as Mimi, his cat cafe favourite who refuses to come anywhere near Wonwoo for the first hour whenever Wonwoo doesn’t visit for more than two weeks.  

 

Soonyoung doesn’t even notice. Wonwoo feels like knocking Genji’s pot over. He settles for sticking his tongue out at Genji when Soonyoung’s back is turned.

 

-

“I think it’s just unfair,” Wonwoo says, on one of the rare evenings where he manages to meet Jihoon alone for dinner. With Soonyoung and Jun putting in extra practice hours, Wonwoo and Jihoon were left to eat dinner together during their monthly outings. Smoke wafts into his eyes and he blinks rapidly, waiting for Jihoon to flip the pork slices on the grill. Jihoon sits across him, impassively waiting for Wonwoo to do the same. Wonwoo is sure the meat is going to burn, but Jihoon still doesn’t move. Suddenly Wonwoo wishes that Jun was here, only because Jun would eagerly cook the meat for both of them just so Jihoon wouldn’t starve, and Jihoon would help cook the meat just to make himself look like a helpful individual instead of a lazy ass.  But sadly Jun wasn’t here, and Jihoon wasn’t lifting a finger.

 

“Aish. Fine. See if I ever eat with you again you lazy ass.” Wonwoo starts to flip the meat. Jihoon smiles, smug. Now that Jun is absent, Jihoon only bothers to lift a helping hand when it comes to moving the meat off the grill and onto his own plate, despite being technically younger than Wonwoo.  

 

“You were saying?” Jihoon asks through a mouth full of meat. “Something about being jealous of a plant?”

 

“I’m not jealous of a plant.” Wonwoo makes sure to inject a heavy amount of disdain as he makes another wrap. “That’s ridiculous.”

 

“It’s not as ridiculous as you spending the last half an hour complaining about a plant.” Jihoon doesn’t even bother making wraps with lettuce, choosing instead to shovel beef slices into his mouth. “You’re jealous of a creature that just sits there. It does nothing all day.”

 

“You’re a creature that does nothing all day.” Wonwoo retorts, not bothering to refute the first part of Jihoon’s statement. It sounds ridiculous when Jihoon puts it that way, but Wonwoo can’t help it. He rants to Jihoon about how Soonyoung is making so much effort in making sure Genji lives, but when it came to Bobo all he did was just water her more and hoped for the best. How he bothered to sing to Genji but complained about Wonwoo not washing the dishes to Bobo. How could he have treated their child - wait, Bobo wasn’t their child, Bobo was a plant that was unfortunate enough to be bought by Soonyoung and ended up with two incompetent grown-ups as her parents, and now she is dead and easily replaced with an interloper Wonwoo didn’t agree with, but Soonyoung was delighted with Genji’s existence in his life, most likely because a cute girl gave Genji to him in the first place.  

 

“Okay I was wrong.” Jihoon says, blinking slowly. Wonwoo feels gratified; finally Jihoon has seen things from Wonwoo’s point of view, and he’s going to commiserate with him about how irritating Genji is. “You’re jealous that Soonyoung is paying so much attention to a gift a fangirl got him.”

 

Wonwoo splutters. “Why would I be?”

 

Jihoon stares at Wonwoo, slightly pitying, as though Wonwoo was a particularly dumb kitten who didn’t understand how to use the litter box. “Because you’re in love with him. Duh.”

 

“No I’m not.” Wonwoo immediately denies on reflex. “Why are you looking at me like that - I’m not!”

 

“And I’m 180 cm tall.” Jihoon rolls his eyes and continues to help himself to kimchi. “Don’t be surprised. Everyone could tell.”

 

“Everyone?” Wonwoo doesn’t squawk, but he nearly knocks over the water bottle in his panic. “ _Everyone_?”  

 

“Everyone with a brain.” Jihoon amends. “So Soonyoung wouldn’t know.”

 

“Soonyoung has a brain.” Wonwoo retorts automatically.

  

“Awwww, you’re defending him.” Jihoon’s lips curl into a shit-eating grin. “Love is a beautiful thing.” Jihoon cheerfully drops a couple of beef slices, crisped to perfection on Wonwoo’s plate. He also waves a waiter over and asks for two bottles of soju. Wonwoo stares at him suspiciously; Jihoon can’t drink for shit. “You look like you need a drink. I’ll pay.” Jihoon says magnanimously. He then continues. “If Soonyoung has a brain then I’m sure he’ll figure it out eventually. Are you going to confess?”   

 

Wonwoo stuffs his mouth full of beef, and refuses to answer.

 

-

 

“It’s just nOT faIR.” Wonwoo warbles, dimly aware that he isn’t making much sense. “How did this girl - from where NO ONE even know where she’s from!” He takes another swig of soju and continues, “what if she’s a serial killer - know that he was sad about Bobo’s death? She said she saw it from Jun’s instagram - she’s a stalker!!! She’s like a sasaeng. A Soonyoung sasaeng.” Wonwoo nods seriously to himself. “Are you listening to me Jihoon? Jihoonie?”

 

“Yeah I’m listening.” Jihoon replies. Wonwoo, being halfway plastered, doesn’t hear the undercurrent of glee in Jihoon’s voice. “You were saying she was a sasaeng.”

 

“She is! I’m sure she is!” Wonwoo takes another large gulp of soju straight from the bottle, relishing in how easily the alcohol slid down his gullet. “I am his best friend - I would know if he was upset!” Wonwoo continues, tone morose as he tries to focus on the soju bottle. “I should have known anyway. What kind of best friend am I? He was sad! And I didn’t notice!” Wonwoo hiccups. He feels tears forming in his eyes. “And some random girl on the internet did and she made him so happy.” His voice cracks near the end; his head is getting heavier and the table is looking awfully nice to sleep on. “I can’t even make him that happy.” He murmurs sadly into his hands as he rests his head on the table.

 

“Are you crying?” He hears Jihoon ask, horrified. He feels, rather than see, Jihoon awkwardly patting his arm.   

 

“Hey, don’t cry.” Jihoon says, lowkey terrified at the possibility that Wonwoo might burst into tears. “You make him happy too, you know.”

 

“You’re lying.” Wonwoo says, turning his head so he can stare blearily in Jihoon’s direction. “I just make him angry. And jealous of my face.”

 

“You’re not looking hard enough.” Jihoon sighs and drinks a sip of water. “The both of you are fucking idiots.”

 

“But I always look at him.” Wonwoo says, confused and nearing tears again. “How much harder do I need to look?”

 

“Nevermind.” Jihoon sighs. “Let me get one more plate of meat before I call Soonyoung to help bring you home.”

 

-

 

Soonyoung doesn’t expect to be called by Jihoon at the end of his practice session to pick up a tipsy clingy Wonwoo, but then life has a way of surprising him sometimes. He would have considered it lucky that he was with Jun, who was all too willing to come along to help him haul Wonwoo’s noodly body back to their shared apartment, but he knew it was both altruism and a burning desire to see Jihoon that made Jun go out of his way to help.  

 

“Damn it Wonwoo, why did you drink so much?” Soonyoung grumbles as he and Jun both sling Wonwoo’s surprisingly muscular arms around their shoulders and proceed to haul him out of the restaurant. “Yah Lee Jihoon, why did you get Wonwoo so drunk?”

 

“He looked like he needed it.” Jihoon shrugs. “Not my fault you guys are a mess.”

 

“We’re not a mess.” Soonyoung grits out. His muscles were sore, and this additional unplanned workout was making things worse. He’s going to make Wonwoo massage his aching back for this. Maybe even get him to buy Salonpas for his sore muscles. “You’re the mess.” He childishly replies. He feels, rather than sees Jihoon rolling his eyes while Jun giggles. Wonwoo was really inconsiderate; Soonyoung thinks angrily. If he wanted to get drunk, he could have just bought soju and invited Jihoon home, then Soonyoung wouldn’t need to over-exert himself (nevermind that Jun seemed to be supporting most of Wonwoo’s weight) by dragging his drunk self back home.   

 

“Blearh…” Wonwoo moans, and Soonyoung and Jun stop moving, just in case Wonwoo decides to vomit. Soonyoung grimaces at the strong soju smell. Wonwoo groans and blearily lifts his head in Soonyoung’s direction. “Soonyoung? Soonyoungie? Is that you?”

 

“What?” Soonyoung asks. Jun cheerfully chimes in with a _yes, that is Soonyoungie_ but Wonwoo isn’t paying attention to Jun at all, he’s just staring at Soonyoung with surprising intensity. “What?”

 

“You’re cute.” Wonwoo mumbles, pouting. “So cute. The cutest.” He even moves closer to peck Soonyoung’s cheek. Or tries to anyway, Soonyoung stops him with a frown. Did Wonwoo just say he was cute? He must have been hearing things. Besides, Wonwoo certainly wasn’t saying anything now, instead he’s eagerly mouthing the skin of Soonyoung’s fingers. Soonyoung would be more worried about Wonwoo possibly getting diarrhea because his hands certainly weren’t the cleanest, but he’s hypnotised by the sensation of Wonwoo’s lips on his fingers, the soft, slightly wet skin of his lips on Soonyoung’s own rougher finger pads. Of Wonwoo’s eyes, focused on his own, like Soonyoung was the only thing in the world that mattered to him.   

 

“Guys? Are we going?” Jun asks hesitantly. His voice startles Soonyoung; he nearly forgot Jun was there. Soonyoung what conclusions Jun could possibly draw, watching Soonyoung who was watching Wonwoo fellate his fingers. Nothing good, he’s sure.

 

“Yeah, we’re going. Come on Wonwoo.” Soonyoung hurriedly pulls his hand away from Wonwoo’s beseeching mouth and wipes whatever traces of Wonwoo on Wonwoo’s own shirt. Jun shifts closer, preparing to go. “We’re going.”   

 

“But I don’t want to go home…” Wonwoo whines as Soonyoung and Jun take steady steps forward. “Genji is at home.”

 

Soonyoung shares a confused look with Jun. “So what if Genji is home?”

 

“I don’t like Genji.” Wonwoo says bitterly as he leans his head on Soonyoung’s shoulder, his hair tickling Soonyoung’s earlobe. “He sucks. He really sucks.”  

 

“Why?” Soonyoung asks, amused. He’s definitely going to make fun of Wonwoo tomorrow for hating a plant.

    

“He just does.” Wonwoo grumbles. Jun laughs from Wonwoo’s other side, and Soonyoung can’t help but giggle too. “I would have... given you a... better plant. Should have. ” Wonwoo shakes his head. “You were sad. When Bobo died.”   

 

“It’s alright. I’m okay.” Soonyoung replies softly, his amusement is slowly overtaken with a quiet affection that lingers long after Wonwoo’s words have dissipated into the cold air. He pats Wonwoo’s hair as he and Jun continue to make their way home. It’s just like Wonwoo, to act blase about things but secretly blame himself for not being enough, for not doing enough, even when he’s already trying his best to be a good friend to Soonyoung. “I have you too. And Genji is a great plant you dumbass.”

 

“I’m not a dumbass.” Wonwoo pouts childishly, burying his face in Jun’s neck. “We’re not friends anymore.”

 

“Yah! Jeon Wonwoo, is this how you treat your best friend who is lugging your drunk sorry ass home?” Soonyoung playfully whacks Wonwoo’s back, making him cough. “I guess Jun is your favourite then.”

 

“That’s definitely not true,” Jun cheerfully pipes out. “You’re always Wonwoo’s favourite. Right Wonwoo?”

 

Soonyoung expects Wonwoo to deny it, even under the influence of alcohol. Wonwoo should have already outgrown something so childish; the notion of having a favourite person should have been left behind like a cherished soft toy, but Wonwoo still smiles at Soonyoung, brilliant and blinding and bright, like he had the best time of his life fighting Soonyoung over anime figurines and 2000won snacks, like he loved every single stupid misadventure Soonyoung dragged him into when they were younger but still supposed to know better, like he enjoyed living with Soonyoung in a crappy apartment that was probably going to be destroyed by some highly aggressive germs, like he loved looking after Soonyoung and making sure he didn’t die of malnutrition or overwork.

 

“Yeah.” Wonwoo kisses Soonyoung on the cheek, a quick peck that was over as soon as it begun, but Soonyoung is left paralyzed, torn between running away and pulling Wonwoo closer, running his fingers along the curve of Wonwoo’s smile, swallowing Wonwoo’s lips with his own. “Soonyoung is my favourite.”

 

“I’m going to hold you to that.” Soonyoung replies shakily, hoping to disguise the rapid beating of his heart. “Don’t you dare forget this in the morning.”

 

-

 

“Will you be okay?” Jun asks, as he gingerly carries Wonwoo’s limp body to their ugly couch. Wonwoo was definitely going to feel hungover and pain tomorrow, Soonyoung muses idly. Their couch was lumpy at best and a safety hazard at worst, but then again they got it for free from their previous neighbour who needed someone to get rid of it before she moved away. Soonyoung remembers Wonwoo complaining about his sore back as they tried to lug it down the hallway and into their apartment, nearly ruining the already scratched paint job on their door frame. “Do you want me to help you get a blanket or water for him?”

 

“Nah it’s fine.” Soonyoung says as removes Wonwoo’s glasses and puts them on the table. “I can do it. You’ve already helped me lug his sorry ass home.”

 

“It’s no trouble.” Jun replies softly. “He’s actually lighter than expected.”

 

“Because he hardly eats.” Soonyoung says, grumbling. “If he’s alone he forgets to eat, and if I don’t make him buy food for me he’s going to starve and get stomach problems.”

 

“Well you’re looking out for him.” Jun smiles, sweet and trusting. No wonder Jihoon does a double-take whenever Jun smiles in his general direction and bothers to help him cook meat. “So I’m sure Wonwoo will be fine. The both of you have each other.”

  

“Tch.” Soonyoung feels his ears turn red, and he’s glad that Wonwoo is passed out on the couch. Wonwoo would never stop teasing him if he knew that Soonyoung got flustered over Jun commenting on their non-romantic relationship, nevermind that he basically confessed that Soonyoung was his favourite person on the way back home, and Jun, that benevolent shithead, kept making Wonwoo repeat it like it was the best thing he’d ever heard. “Why do you keep saying stuff like that?”

 

“Like what?” Jun asks, confused.

 

“Like Wonwoo and I are dating.” Soonyoung elaborates. “It’s kinda weird.”

 

“Do you hate it?” Jun asks curiously.

 

“No - it’s just weird.” Soonyoung laughs awkwardly. “I’m sure Wonwoo would think so too.”  

 

“I don’t think Wonwoo would mind, after all the things he said just now.” Jun’s eyebrows furrow. “Is everything alright with you and Wonwoo?” He asks, voice tinged with a hint of concern Soonyoung thinks is unwarranted. Everything is fine between him and Wonwoo - sure Wonwoo had made a few comments on how Soonyoung looked like he was really into humping floors as he edited and uploaded his dance video weeks ago, and Soonyoung retorted then that Wonwoo was just jealous that the floor was seeing more action than him. Wonwoo argued back, claiming that he didn’t want any action from someone who wouldn’t wash his own dirty bed sheets, which sounded utterly ridiculous coming from someone like Wonwoo, who Soonyoung was sure only cleaned his bed sheets if he accidentally came on them while masturbating. Soonyoung made the mistake of saying that out loud, and Wonwoo had stared at him like he was imagining Soonyoung masturbating, which made Soonyoung’s ears heat up. But that wasn’t all, Soonyoung also got the feeling like he was mentally being undressed by Wonwoo’s eyes and somehow, Wonwoo liked what he saw. It was… weird.

 

But what was weirder was the fact that Soonyoung _liked it_.

 

The weirdest thing of all though, was that Soonyoung had the feeling that Wonwoo _knew_ he liked it. And when he thinks of the way Wonwoo eyed his ass whenever he wore shorts, always finding excuses to lean over him or lie on him, back-hugging him and blowing in his ear.  

 

And now he knows that he is still Wonwoo’s favourite person. Wonwoo likes imagining him naked _and_ likes him as a person. After nearly two decades of friendship, he is still Wonwoo’s favourite. Something then clicks in him with cheerful finality, a connecting gear, a bone set right.

 

Holy shit. Holy shit.  

 

“Soonyoung?” Jun asks again. “Are you okay?”

 

“I’m fine!” Soonyoung apologizes hurriedly, waving his hands about. “Everything is good!”  He says, and maybe it is. _Wonwoo may be in love with me_. _But I’m not in love with him. I think._  

 

“Ok?” Jun replies, confused. “What has you not being in love with Wonwoo got to do with anything?” Soonyoung realises that he said it out loud and hopes beyond hope that Wonwoo was dead to the world.  He tries not to scream into his hands and fails miserably. At least he’s screaming quietly so as to not wake Wonwoo. Wonwoo, who may be in love. With him.

 

“Why are you screaming?” Jun asks in a panicked whisper as he looks around the room anxiously. “Did you see a ghost? Is that why you keep trying to sleepover at my place?”

 

“No, there’s no ghost in our house.” Soonyoung replies, face still in his hands. “Everything is fine Jun.”

 

“Alright.” Jun doesn’t look all that convinced, shiftily staring at their walls like he expects a ghost to fly through any minute. “If you need anything, you can just tell me! You know that right? Unless there’s really a ghost in your house. Then you shouldn’t call me. Call an exorcist instead.”

 

“Yeah I know.” Soonyoung smiles and makes sure it reaches his eyes. “Thanks Jun.”

 

-

 

Wonwoo wakes up alone the next morning in his bed with a crick in his neck and a headache that refuses to settle, but he’s covered in Soonyoung’s spare blanket along with his own, and he finds his glasses safe on table next to him. Soonyoung must have carried him to his room after Jun left, for Wonwoo was sober enough to remember being haphazardly thrown onto the couch.

 

He could have made the effort to inform Jun and Soonyoung he was awake, but then he felt the barest brush of Soonyoung’s fingertips on his temples when Soonyoung removed his glasses, and it took every inch of willpower to let his body remain limp, especially when he remembered nibbling on those fingertips just a while ago. He would never forget the flush that crawled up Soonyoung’s cheeks, the way his eyes darkened when Wonwoo deliberately swiped his tongue and nipped at the soft skin. It would have been so easy to just open his eyes and wrap his arms around Soonyoung when Soonyoung was covering him with the blanket. He could have planted kisses all over his cheeks and Soonyoung would just roll his eyes, thinking he was an affectionate drunk, and shoved him back in bed. Their friendship could remain mostly unchanged, even if Wonwoo knows Soonyoung would have blushed with the kissing. He certainly did last night. Wonwoo’s own lips burned at the contact, if he were a lot more shameless, he would have gone for a kiss on the lips.

 

But that wasn’t how he wants his first real proper kiss with Soonyoung to go. He wanted Soonyoung willing and sober and wanting, intent on devouring Wonwoo the same way Wonwoo intended to do to him, to swallow him whole, to leave him breathless and keening with want. Judging by the way Soonyoung avoided him like he contracted hand-foot-mouth disease when Wonwoo accidentally made it known that he liked imagining Soonyoung touching himself, there’s no chance of getting anything more than friendship from Soonyoung.

 

Afterall, he heard Soonyoung say it with his own ears. He’ll never be in love with Wonwoo.

 

And he’s fine with that. He will be anyway. He already is someone Soonyoung considers irreplaceable; his status as his best friend solid and untouchable. He’ll be fine.

 

He will have his whole life to get used to it. Maybe he’ll write about his feelings and become a popular best-selling author and then both of them can move to Gangnam with his earnings and Soonyoung would probably watch the drama based on his books and ask if anyone broke Wonwoo’s heart recently, and Wonwoo would laugh and claim he was reading too much into it, and they would be fine.

  

He rubs his eyes and makes sure his eyes are dry before putting on his glasses. Life still goes on.

-

 

“Do you think Wonwoo would look cute with cat ears?” Soonyoung asks suddenly, face flushing as he realised what he asked. He decides to look elsewhere, but seeing that their practice room is filled with mirrors, he can’t escape Jun’s confused stare. Thank goodness Minghao and Chan were out refilling water; he doesn’t think he can handle the amount of judgemental staring from those two.

 

“I think so, but Jihoon would look way cuter.” Jun replies, his tired face immediately brightening at the thought of Jihoon possibly wearing cat ears. “He’ll look like a cute kitten.”

 

“Wonwoo would look way better than Jihoon.” Soonyoung protests as he stretches his muscles. “His face suits it more.”

 

“No he doesn’t.” Jun retorts. “Jihoon already looks like the cutest cat in the world. He just needs the ears to make it perfect.” He tilts his head, curious. “But why are you suddenly thinking about Wonwoo with cat ears? That’s something I would do, not you.”

 

Soonyoung’s face feels red and hot and he hurriedly looks away from Jun’s curious eyes. “Nothing! Just wondering. You know someone took photos of Wonwoo the last time we performed? They commented that he looks like Joo Jihoon’s younger brother. Some of them are even saying he looks like Yunho from DBSK and Red Velvet’s Seulgi secret lovechild.”

 

“That’s kinda gross, seeing that they have quite a big age difference.” Jun says, “but Wonwoo does look like an idol!” He continues, “so now you think Wonwoo will look cute with cat ears because they look cute with cat ears!”

 

Soonyoung coughs. “Yeah.”

 

Jun hums thoughtfully. “But don’t you think it’s a good thing Wonwoo didn’t become an idol or an actor?”

 

“Really? If he was one, maybe he’ll be famous and rich and we wouldn’t need to slog so hard to earn money.” Soonyoung replies wistfully. “Imagine eating samgyeopsal for dinner every day. Being able to pig out on bingsu every summer. Going on holidays when there’s no work.” There was a moment of silence as they both contemplated the brilliance of such a life.

 

“That sounds nice.” Jun agrees. “But if he was famous, you’ll never be able to see Wonwoo again. Unless you spend tons of money to attend his fanmeet or fansign. Then you’ll only get to talk to him for 30 seconds at most.”

 

“That sucks.” Soonyoung doesn’t know why that’s the first thought that came to mind. He would have thought that he’ll be fine, if Wonwoo ever got scouted and left him to pursue a life Soonyoung could not follow, but even if he imagined a hypothetical scenario where he wouldn’t see Wonwoo back in their shared shitty apartment makes his heart heavy.

 

“Yep.” Jun agrees. “Especially after he confessed when he was drunk. It’ll be so sad if he left. You guys would be star-crossed lovers.”

 

Soonyoung chokes on his spit. Jun pats him on the back. “There there, Wonwoo won’t leave you though, so you have nothing to worry about.”

 

“I’m not worried!” Soonyoung exclaims. “Of course he’s not leaving me to be an idol, or an actor or something-”

 

“Or something.” Jun says. “But who knows what the future holds? The both of you may not live together next year. Maybe he’ll get a girlfriend and get married. Or you’ll get a girlfriend and get married.”

 

Soonyoung’s heart clenches at Jun’s words, which Soonyoung himself thought was ridiculous. Wonwoo wasn’t his boyfriend (even if he felt, with increasing certainty, that Wonwoo had less than platonic feelings for him) they were just best friends - irreplaceable best friends who had been through thick and thin with each other, and the thought that his place in Wonwoo’s life could be taken by someone else was unthinkable. As in Soonyoung didn’t want to think about it at all, because -

 

“He’s not going to _get_ anyone else.” Soonyoung states, breathing heavily like he’s just run a marathon, and maybe he has, and he reached the finish line, first place. “He’s in love with me.”

 

“Yeah, but you’re not in love with him, are you?” Jun asks, interested. “So then you can get married while Wonwoo tries to get over you. I don’t think he’ll succeed though. He’s been pining for so long,” Jun continues sadly. “I wished Jihoon liked me as much as Wonwoo likes you.”

 

Soonyoung splutters. It didn’t matter whether or not whether Wonwoo or him were in love with each other, Wonwoo was _his_ in a way Soonyoung had never questioned, Wonwoo’s place in his life was absolute, even when Wonwoo had his irritable emo phase in middle school completed with emo anime hair, he was still Soonyoung’s to protect, to cherish, because Soonyoung was his best friend and he certainly wasn’t going to let that position go. Was it fair to Wonwoo? Perhaps not, but Soonyoung certainly wasn’t going to give up his hard-won place by Wonwoo’s side. Especially not to someone else who would most likely be in it for Wonwoo’s face instead of his personality.

 

But what if that someone else truly loved Wonwoo for all of Wonwoo’s personality traits? What if that person even loved the way Wonwoo would leave dirty socks in a corner by the door? The way Wonwoo would leave used tissue papers next to the sink? The way he idly brushed off snack crumbs from his laptop? If there was indeed someone who would love all of Wonwoo’s idiosyncrasies, wouldn’t it be the right thing to give him up?

 

Can Soonyoung even give him up? His heart seizes as he remembers Wonwoo’s lips so close to his own. He thinks of an empty apartment, devoid of Wonwoo’s presence. He imagines a faceless person hugging Wonwoo, gently pressing kisses to his collarbone.

 

No, impossible. Between staying or leaving, when it comes to Wonwoo, there is no choice at all.

 

“Or maybe you are in love with him” Jun says, with a shit-eating grin. Soonyoung doesn’t reply; his brain still coming to terms with something his heart knew all along. His brain was clearly crap; no wonder he didn’t do well for Suneung.

 

Jun crawls closer to him. “Oh my god. You are!” He wriggles around the floor, like a particularly happy cat. “This is great!” Jun then takes the opportunity to wipe his sweat with Soonyoung’s own towel. Gross, now it was dirty again, which sucked because Wonwoo was the one who helped him throw his sweat-soaked towels and T-shirts into the washing machine, despite complaining that Soonyoung smelled like a walking garbage disposal.

 

Wonwoo. Everything comes back to Wonwoo, doesn’t it?  

 

“No I’m not.” Soonyoung replies weakly, sighing internally at his soiled towel. Jun shakes his head and looks at him like he knows Soonyoung is just protesting for the sake of it. Compared to his past adamant refusals, Soonyoung had to admit that he wasn’t convincing anyone. “Don’t use my towel - Wonwoo washed it.”

 

Jun smiles even wider and playfully makes another grab for the towel. Soonyoung hastily pulls it away and Jun whines.“Stop that - you have your own towel!”

 

“Yeah, but Jihoon didn’t wash mine. My towel isn’t filled with love like yours.” Jun says, pouting adorably. “Let me get some love luck too.”

 

“There is no love luck in this towel.” Soonyoung protests. “Wonwoo did it because he complained that I was smelly. That asshole.”

 

“You love that asshole.” Jun says with a singsong voice. “He’s your asshole. In addition to the one you already have. Your extra tsundere asshole.”

 

Soonyoung just sighs. He watches Jun eye his now dirtied towel, the new 1.5 litre water bottle Wonwoo got him to replace the dirty one he was always using, the Pikachu lunchbox they got together as a joke but Wonwoo had insisted on putting in some apple slices for Soonyoung to munch on so that he wouldn’t die and leave Wonwoo alone to pay rent, even the plastic bag Wonwoo prepared for him to carry all these things.

 

“Yep.” Jun nods with the surety no 24 year-old should possess. “Definitely your tsundere asshole.”

 

Soonyoung stares at his towel. The soft white fibres seem to be mocking him. His extra tsundere asshole indeed.  

 

-

 

The conversation mindlessly repeats himself even when Soonyoung makes his lonely way home, muscles sore from practice. Sometimes, Wonwoo would come to find him in the studio and they would walk home together, and Soonyoung would filch potato wedges of from Wonwoo’s share of hot snacks. And Wonwoo would grumble, but still let him eat them. Soonyoung realises in horror that Wonwoo always lets him steal his food, even when Wonwoo himself was hungry, even when it was his favourite food. He took it for granted and just kept taking the lion’s share of Wonwoo’s snacks.

 

And Wonwoo never did more than raise token protests before buying even more food. _Wonwoo must really love me a lot,_ Soonyoung thinks, suddenly humbled by Wonwoo’s willingness to do anything possible, just to make him happy.

 

Does Soonyoung make Wonwoo happy? He hopes so. He’d better.

 

Does Soonyoung want to make him happy for the rest of their lives?

 

_Yes._

 

Absolutely yes.

 

-

 

“I’m in love with you!” Soonyoung yells the moment he opens the door to their apartment. Wonwoo stares at him in confusion, hand suspiciously near Genji’s pot, eyes swollen. Soonyoung would find it stranger, but his brain had been repeatedly looping the words _I’m in love with you_ for the whole way back, like this was a fact, a law of the universe that he needed to memorise in time for his exams, preparing to spit it out the moment he crossed the threshold of their shared home.

 

Wonwoo’s eyes widen, but he still doesn’t say anything.

 

“Wonwoo I’m trying to confess here!” Soonyoung pleads. “I like you! A lot! And not only when you buy me food - although I like that too.”

 

“You’re lying.” Wonwoo smiles, brittle and frayed. Soonyoung has never seen him look that broken, that resigned, and it feels like someone took a battering ram to his own heart.

 

“No I’m not.” Soonyoung protests. “I’m really in love with you!”

 

“You weren’t. You aren’t. You can’t be.” Wonwoo shakes his head, voice becoming increasingly shaky. “I heard what you said last night. You’re not in love with me.”

 

“Last-night’s me was a moron in denial!” Soonyoung argues, fully willing to stab his past self in the back. Past-self him was an idiot and clearly deserved to be stabbed anyway. Past-self him couldn’t find his own asshole even when given a compass and a map. “You should know - you call me an idiot all the time!”

 

“And you’re still in love with me?” Wonwoo asks, “what’s wrong with you?”

 

“Don’t change the subject!” Soonyoung splutters, pointing an offending finger at Wonwoo. “You’re the one who’s in love with someone he calls an idiot so you’re the bigger idiot!”

 

“Excuse me?” Wonwoo stands up, draws himself to his full height but still makes no move to come closer, so Soonyoung does it for him. Wonwoo has done enough chasing to last a lifetime; he’ll take over from here. “Wait - what are you doing?”

 

“Trying to kiss you.” Soonyoung replies seriously, even as his face looks like it could rival a cherry tomato in redness. His hands are shaking, and his intestines have been twisted into knots. He has run a marathon to get to this moment; so close to the finish line, and the prize to keep is Wonwoo’s heart. “Because I’m in love with you too.”

 

“Oh.” Wonwoo’s smile is blinding up close, his fingers idly tracing the dip in Soonyoung’s spine, the tired muscles of his waist, coming to rest at his hips. Soonyoung is now close enough to count the eyelashes framing Wonwoo’s eyes, if he wished too. "Well then, we’re both idiots.”  

 

“Can’t argue with that.” Soonyoung replies hoarsely. “Can we kiss now?”  

 

Epilogue:

 

“Wow, I wonder who’s your favourite?” Soonyoung asks sarcastically as he watches Wonwoo cut slices of salmon to line Genji’s food bowl, his version of a birthday cake. “You never bothered to cook for me or Bobo before.” Bobo, upon hearing her name, barks loudly and runs into the dining hall like a maniac.

 

“Ssshh” Wonwoo idly says as he focuses on plating the fish, nevermind that Genji was a cat that clearly didn’t understand the importance of food presentation. Genji only gives a small meow in warning before leaping on their table and attempting to eat some of the salmon. Wonwoo tries to chase him away, but Genji merely gives him an unimpressed look before snatching a piece of salmon right from his fingertips and jumping to the top of the refrigerator, out of Wonwoo’s reach. Bobo circles around Wonwoo’s legs, waiting hopefully for any scraps to fall. Soonyoung has really spoilt her.  

 

“This is actually for your birthday cake.” Wonwoo scolds. “Couldn’t you have waited?” Now there is an empty spot where one of the salmon pieces were supposed to be. Genji doesn’t reply, too intent on eating his spoils. Bobo whines sadly at Wonwoo.

 

“No none for you. This is not your birthday.” Wonwoo says sternly to Bobo’s pleading eyes. Bobo turns those eyes on Soonyoung instead.

 

“That’s mean.” Soonyoung shakes his head in mock disappointment. “It’s okay Bobo we shall live happily without him. We don’t need him anymore.”

 

“That’s not what you said last night.” Wonwoo points out smugly, remembering how Soonyoung begged to be put out of his misery as Wonwoo teased him repeatedly, leaving bite marks and stroking him everywhere but not where it was absolutely needed. Soonyoung had caved in the first 45 minutes, needily whining whenever Wonwoo’s hand came anywhere near his cock. Wonwoo smirks as a blush crawls up Soonyoung’s cheeks; Soonyoung must have remembered it as well.  

 

“I was under duress! Great pressure!” Soonyoung protests. “You can’t take what I say then as the truth!”

 

“Riiiiight.” Wonwoo drawls out smoothly, pleased to see Soonyoung splutter. All these years, and it still doesn’t get old. “I guess we can skip tonight’s activities then.”

 

“Oh please you’ll miss me too much.” Soonyoung shoots back, deliberately cocking his hip to the side. Wonwoo’s eyes greedily follow the curve of his ass, clothed in cheap cotton and all the more enticing for it, especially when he knew what lay underneath. “See! You can’t even keep your eyes off me.”   

 

“You say that like it’s news.” Wonwoo rolls his eyes and moves closer, hands on Soonyoung’s waist as he deliberately presses Soonyoung against the fridge. “I have kept my eyes on you for years.”

 

 “I know.” Soonyoung smiles, unbearably soft. His lips are softer still, as he presses them against Wonwoo’s own, a chaste kiss as compared to the filthy ones they exchanged that very morning, and one thing led to another. Bobo and Genji ended up making a ton of noise as they demanded to be fed on time, as Wonwoo apologetically scooped up pet food while Soonyoung changed their water bowls and both of them took turns clearing poo. “Must have been hard, if only I wasn’t such a dumbass.” Soonyoung says, a tad pensieve, a lot wistful.

 

“You can’t help being yourself.” Wonwoo says with mock seriousness. He pats the receding blush on Soonyoung’s cheeks. “It’s alright, I’ll love you anyway.”

 

“This fucker.” Soonyoung playfully headbutts Wonwoo, only for Wonwoo to catch him and hold him closer still. “You’re going to pay for that for the rest of your life, Jeon Wonwoo.”

 

“Sure.” Wonwoo’s smile, a sharp slash across his face. Soonyoung feels the telltale sign of arousal, lined with steady affection, coiling in his gut. “I look forward to it.”  

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Leave a comment or kudos if liked!


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